Pumpkin coach and needle felted rabbit

Just in time for Halloween, I’ve finished my Cinderella coach and I’m ready for the ball! I made the chassis and rabbit for a scene in my book, but just had to turn it into a pumpkin for now! (The final coach will be the actual tea-pot that I made the chassis from). I fabricated every piece except for the pumpkin and the frame for the door, so I’m especially happy to see this one done!

“Would you like a ride?”
The trail winds through the forest…

My little helper…

The long explanation of how I made it…..

Mr. Bunny has been bouncing around waiting for his carriage to come in for quite some time now. I needle felted him out of pure wool this winter, with foam pieces inside to give him some girth. The harness is just something I put together real quick…craft store foam, rivets, and a little gold paint makes it look just right for what I need. My mom said she would make a leather harness for him (she did a lot of leather-work back in the 70’s ♥), so that will change a bit.

The carriage base is my labor of love ♥♥♥. The base of the pumpkin rests upon a piece of foam. From there are the four “axles” which I made from casting the handle of an antique teapot in silicone molding and making them out of resin. I painted them a dark metallic color, and then attached the wheels. I designed the wheels with my Dad, and then he cut them out of wood with his laser machine. They are glued together, and wrapped in a few spots with copper tape used in glass soldering.

I bought the pumpkin at Hobby Lobby this fall, and cut off the original stem. I added a vine with wire and covered it to make a curly tendril. I hollowed out the pumpkin and added a light, then painted a picture frame for the door frame. The door is made from polymer clay, as is the window. The orange color in the window is from tissue paper I sealed inside the window pane.

Whew! Lots of work went into it, but THAT’S what I love! I enjoy using all my different little hobbies that I’ve gotten into over the years to create one big piece. It feels really good to see an idea in my mind, and have the ability to turn it into reality.